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Job Advice: Hold out, or take the guarantee ?

polm

Diamond Member
I have been waiting on a responce from a company (Company A)concerning a position which I have interviewed for. They are currently 6 days into a background check. They have told me the background check could take from 5 - 10 business days. I am 90% sure I will be given an offer for this position in the week(s) to come.

Yesterday I received an offer (verbal) to work for another company (Company B). They have offered a very appealing salary. The job would be contractual for a term we would agree upon. Could be 1 year, or 5 years . It is up to me. The contract would stipulate a 30-day out clause for both myself and my employer.

The type of work that I would do with Company A would be extremely exciting/new/interesting . It is a Network Engineering position dealing with WAN design and maintenance.

The type of work that I would do with Company B would be , for the most part, less exciting. I would have a little WAN work, but mostly Sys. Admin.

Company A will pay me 55K per year. Though Bonuses would add another 6 - 10K per year. (obviosuly not guaranteed, but have been consistently paid out in full for the past 5 years).

Company B will pay me 60K per year. No Bonuses.

Unfortunately I need to make a decision quickly. Company A is just taking so damn long. Company B might not appreciate me putting them off for another 4+ days.

Any advice on how to handle the situation ?

 
The best type of delay is proactive - ask about relocation bonus, sign-up bonus, paid vactaion, expenses, things like this. Normally they have to consult among themselves, and that would buy you time - and mauy even bring more money on the table.
 
Originally posted by: redly1
i so envy you

you envy my "big picture" situation, I understand.

But I am still pretty stressed about the immediate decision. Take no envy from it my friend....take no envy from it.
 
Originally posted by: AnitaPeterson
The best type of delay is proactive - ask about relocation bonus, sign-up bonus, paid vactaion, expenses, things like this. Normally they have to consult among themselves, and that would buy you time - and mauy even bring more money on the table.

 
doesn't sound like your too thrilled with option B, so what makes you think you'd be thrilled in working there every day. I'd hold out for A.
 
Originally posted by: yruffostsif
doesn't sound like your too thrilled with option B, so what makes you think you'd be thrilled in working there every day. I'd hold out for A.

thrilled or not...I need a job. I have no other means of support.
 
What is company A? My dads got 20 years in the telecom field and he's looking for a job just like you described but can't find one for the life of him. Been looking for a year and a half. If you want to PM it to me that'd be cool too.
 
Wait the week. Is one week of waiting worth not being happy at your job. Or not having the room to grow.
You obviously want to work for job A, but job B is the instant gratification.
And we all know how instant gratification works.

No matter if you take a job now or not, you still won't be seeing any compensation for a few weeks anyway.
 
First, ask company b to send you a formal offer letter. Say that you would like to look over the letter and see if you have any questions before you can give a definite answer.

Once you get the formal offer, you should ask for a day or two to review it before giving your final answer.

By that time, if A hasn't responded go with B. No point waiting, cuz they probably offered that job to someone else and just keeping you on the line in case that other person turns them down.
 
Originally posted by: SammySon
Wait the week. Is one week of waiting worth not being happy at your job. Or not having the room to grow.
You obviously want to work for job A, but job B is the instant gratification.
And we all know how instant gratification works.

No matter if you take a job now or not, you still won't be seeing any compensation for a few weeks anyway.

yes...but there is a loft available that I really want. The space could go any day now, and I can't get it without proof of employment.
 
Originally posted by: cheapbidder01
First, ask company b to send you a formal offer letter. Say that you would like to look over the letter and see if you have any questions before you can give a definite answer.

Once you get the formal offer, you should ask for a day or two to review it before giving your final answer.

By that time, if A hasn't responded go with B. No point waiting, cuz they probably offered that job to someone else and just keeping you on the line in case that other person turns them down.

good advice.
 
Why don't you ask company B to send you the offer in writing. The job is not a sure thing until you got an offer letter in your hand. BTW, check their benfit package and see which one offers better deal, specially medical and 401K match-up. Good luck.
 
tell company B you want to take the weekend to think about it and you will get back to them on monday by which you should know about company A, and there is no shame ain telling company A that you have other offers that you are sitting on to hear back from them
 
Originally posted by: dirtboy
Ask company b to put their offer in writing. That should buy you some time.

This sounds like a good plan.
Try to stall to get Company A's response first before committing in necessary to B.
 
Originally posted by: polm
Originally posted by: redly1
i so envy you

you envy my "big picture" situation, I understand.

But I am still pretty stressed about the immediate decision. Take no envy from it my friend....take no envy from it.

Yeah, but this is a good kind of stress... "which good, well paying job should I pick from?" As someone who has spent 12 out the the last 29 months unemployed (and most of my employment was low paying customer service type jobs) I would gladly take your stress over the "do I want to eat or put gas in the card today" kind of stress that myself, and many, many others, have been going thru the past 2-3 years.


Lethal
 
Tell them that you recently interviewed with another company in good faith, and could not (in good conscience) accept another position without talking to them. They did pay for the travel to get there, spent the time to interview you, you do owe them the courteousy of talking with them before accepting another position. Honesty works best in this situation, and you can put a positive spin on it that you want the job but want a couple of days more before accepting in deferrence to the other company. I've done that before, if they turn around and say they don't want you after that you wouldn't want to work for them anyway (some hidden politics happening).
 
I was in a similar position recently. I would advise you to call up Company A first thing tomorrow morning and say in no uncertain terms, that you need an offer NOW, because if they cannot produce one you'll be forced to go with company B. Tell them you want to go with them but that you just cannot wait any longer and you hate to dick around company B.

Alternatively and underhanded (though I won't say I wouldn't do it), take the offer from company B after pushing company A along more - but then if company A comes along and hires you just dump company B before your first day of work even.

A woman I know was recently hired and I think she worked at her new employer for a week and then quit and started up at the company she really wanted. You just gotta do what you gotta do, but you can push CompanyA and they will understand.

Good advice below about putting Company B off more by asking for a letter and getting it in writing. My limited experience states to me that if something isn't in writing it's absolutely junk. There is only one company I'd go based on word alone and that's my current one because they have proven that they are trustworthy. However, that would go only so far even with them. A stranger or unknown company I'd not do anything without writing from them documenting what they say.
 
Inquire about working hours and conditions. Required travel, etc. How about education and training?

All things being equal, I'd take Company B.

Congrats on getting jobs in this tight economy!
 
It seems like when a company takes a long time to get back to you it means they offered the position to someone else already and are putting you on hold in case that person declines the offer... mhm that sounds familiar, I'm still waiting for word from an interview two weeks ago.
 
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